His story is the American story — values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family, hard work and education as the means of getting ahead, and the conviction that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others.

With a father from Kenya and a mother from Kansas, President Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961. He was raised with help from his grandfather, who served in Patton's army, and his grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle management at a bank.

After working his way through college with the help of scholarships and student loans, President Obama moved to Chicago, where he worked with a group of churches to help rebuild communities devastated by the closure of local steel plants.

He went on to attend law school, where he became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. Upon graduation, he returned to Chicago to help lead a voter registration drive, teach constitutional law at the University of Chicago, and remain active in his community.

President Obama's years of public service are based around his unwavering belief in the ability to unite people around a politics of purpose. In the Illinois State Senate, he passed the first major ethics reform in 25 years, cut taxes for working families, and expanded health care for children and their parents. As a United States Senator, he reached across the aisle to pass groundbreaking lobbying reform, lock up the world's most dangerous weapons, and bring transparency to government by putting federal spending online.

He was elected the 44th President of the United States on November 4, 2008, and sworn in on January 20, 2009. He and his wife, Michelle, are the proud parents of two daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7.

Thu Aug 17 19:15:11 +0000 2017 - Michelle and I are thinking of the victims and their families in Barcelona. Americans will always stand with our Spanish friends. Un abrazo.Sun Aug 13 00:06:09 +0000 2017 - "No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion..." https://t.co/InZ58zkoAmThu Jul 20 00:49:02 +0000 2017 - John McCain is an American hero & one of the bravest fighters I've ever known. Cancer doesn't know what it's up against. Give it hell, John.Thu Jun 22 19:41:08 +0000 2017 - Health care has always been about something bigger than politics: it's about the character of our country. https://t.co/UqLO14Hef7Sun Jun 18 15:09:20 +0000 2017 - Of all that I've done in my life, I'm most proud to be Sasha and Malia's dad. To all those lucky enough to be a dad… https://t.co/XSqMhcSuvRFri Jun 02 17:35:54 +0000 2017 - On this National Gun Violence Awareness Day, let your voice be heard and show your commitment to reducing gun viole… https://t.co/S7dth6Ywb0Mon May 29 13:09:16 +0000 2017 - Forever grateful for the service and sacrifice of all who fought to protect our freedoms and defend this country we… https://t.co/BwRS0onlOLSat May 27 13:15:25 +0000 2017 - Good to see my friend Prince Harry in London to discuss the work of our foundations & offer condolences to victims… https://t.co/f1U8It8AmE
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